The present invention relates to a method and device for installing and replacing a gas permeable insert in the wall of a vessel, particularly a vessel such as a casting or teeming label or a converter containing a melt such as a metal or glass melt, and for the introduction of a gas therethrough, for example a circulation gas or a carrier gas containing a gaseous, liquid or solid material. More particularly, the present invention is related to such a method and device wherein the gas permeable insert is fireproof or refractory and is mounted in a gas proof manner in the area of the lining of the vessel wall, and whereby when necessary the gas permeable insert may be removed from the wall and replaced by a new insert.
It is generally known in the metallurgical art to introduce a gas through the wall of a vessel into the interior of the vessel. In such known arrangements, gas is introduced through a gas permeable refractory insert. Such insert may be in the form of a conically-shaped brick fitted within a specially provided brick of the wall, such brick having therein a perforation to receive the conical insert. Alternatively, such known insert may be in the form of a cube-shaped brick or insert fitted within neighboring brick work of the vessel lining. Such known inserts are cemented in their respective openings in a gas tight manner and are inwardly contacted by the melt contained in the vessel. Gas may be supplied to the outer surfaces of such inserts to pass therethrough into the melt in the interior of the vessel (see for example Didier phamphlet No. 1675 976 30 H: "Fireproof materials for the use of circulation and carrier gases in metallurgy"). Such known gas permeable inserts are constructed to be permeable to the particular gas involved at the particular gas pressures contemplated. However, such inserts are also constructed to be non-permeable to the metal melt, such that in the event of a drop of pressure of the gas, the melts will not escape outwardly through such inserts.
However, such known systems suffer from certain inherent disadvantages. Particularly, whenever the gas permeable brick insert must be replaced, for example upon the occurrence of wear or erosion, then the gas permeable insert must be broken out of its position in the vessel lining or wall. This is a laborious and time consuming operation which must be performed after cooling down of the vessel. For this reason, in the case of vessels of the converter type, replacement of the gas permeable insert is made only when the lining of the vessel is replaced.
On the otherhand, it is known in the art to inject a gas, such as a circulation gas or carrier gas, into a metal melt through the wall of the vessel by means of a tubular lance. This arrangement however also suffers from the inherent disadvantage that, at least when the injection occurs at a level below the top of the melt, for example through the bottom of the vessel, whenever a drop in the pressure of the injected gas occurs, there exists the very serious danger that the melt will flow from the vessel through the lance.